The little boy gripped his Cheerios. Wherever she was, the dog was sure to want them. He walked into the kitchen. His parents were playing with pots on the big hot stove that he wasn’t allowed to touch. Dad was stirring with a huge spoon. They were talking and laughing and smiling.
“Samwich,” the boy said.
“Later,” said Dad, “after dinner.” Mom put dishes on the table.
The dog stuck her nose through the dog door and sniffed. She jumped inside. The little boy retreated to the dining room. “Cat,” he said. He wanted a cat.
Mom hoisted him into his big chair. She put a dish of food in front of him. He felt safe and powerful, looking down on the dog. To demonstrate his rank, he waved a piece of toast at the dog. The dog’s tail wagged. Her mouth dribbled out onto the floor. The little boy threw a pea at her head.
“What does the cow say?” asked Dad.
“Moo.”
“What does the dog say?” asked Mom.
He didn’t want to talk about the dog. “Meow,” he answered. They laughed.
Everyone ate dinner. The dog ate peas under the high chair.
“Samwich,” said the boy.
“OK,” said Mom. She lifted him out of the chair. He climbed onto Dad’s lap and leaned against his chest. Dad smelled like Dad. Mom climbed on behind the little boy and squeezed him close.
“Samwich,” the boy said.
“Yes, you’re the peanut butter and we’re two slices of bread,” said Mom.
***
If the car drove up a hill, it meant you were going to visit Nana’s house. Nana’s crackers were sweeter than the crackers at home. The little boy watched green shapes flash by outside the car window.
The car stopped. “Nana,” he yelled, and ran up her front steps. He ran right to his farm. The cow and pig and cat were waiting for him, already out of their box. Nana picked him up and hugged him.
“Your mommy and daddy are going to a movie,” she said. “Come and wave goodbye”.
“Bye bye,” the little boy said, and waved once. He squirmed until Nana put him down and ran back to his toys. Nana joined him with her crackers. The little boy took a bite and offered some to the plastic cat. Then he made a sandwich with the cow and pig and cat. The toy dog stayed in the box.
“Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?” asked Nana.
“Playing for Queen,” said the little boy.
***
The dog came running when the little boy came home. She sniffed him all over. Poke, poke, poke went the big nose.
“Bad dog,” said the little boy.
He ran to his room and found the story about Zoom the cat. He crawled into Mom’s lap.
***
“Jump,” said Mom. The dog jumped through the hoop. Mom gave the dog a piece of cheese.
The little boy jumped through the hoop. Mom gave the boy a piece of cheese. Dad watched the jumping show. He clapped. The dog stole the boy’s piece of cheese.
“Roll over,” said Mom. The boy rolled over faster than the dog. Mom put a CD in the sound box. “Zing zing zing” it sang. They all ran around and around the dinner table. The dog barked.
***
“Mom and I are going to a party,” said Dad. “You’re going to sleep over at Nana’s house.” The little boy ran to the door. He waited. He scratched the screen with his finger.
Mom finally came to the door with a bag. They went outside to the car. The dog tried to come too but Dad pushed her back inside.
Mom pointed to the big ball in the sky and said, “There’s the moon.” The boy saw the dog sitting on the top of the couch through the window. “Bad dog,” he said. The dog watched them drive away. They drove up the hill.
“Hey diddle diddle,” said Nana. The little boy ran to his farm. He took the cat and pig and cow outside. They lined up in the dirt.
“Water,” he said. Nana made water come out of the hose. The little boy squirted the animals until they were muddy. He pushed his fingers deep into the ground. The ground felt like food when it was wet.
Nana said, “What can the animals do?”
“Jump,” said the little boy. The cow jumped.
“Jump higher,” said Nana.
And so the cow jumped over the moon. The little boy laughed to see such sport. And the dish ran away with the spoon, oh yes, the dish ran away with the spoon.
